Mumbai: Bombay high court on Wednesday, January 8 granted bail to Rona Wilson and Sudhir Dhawle in Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case of 2018.
Both Wilson and Dhawle were arrested in the year 2018 for their alleged involvement in the Elgar Parishad. According to the investigative agencies, provocative speeches were made at the said conference which led to violence in Bhima-Koregaon village.
A high court bench granted bail to both Wilson and Dhawle after noting that the charges in the case are still not framed. “There are over 300 witnesses in the case which mean that the trial will not commence/conclude in near future,” noted the bench further.
A special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court in December last year denied interim bail to Rona Wilson to attend a weeding of one of his relative. During the hearing the NIA argued that the charges against Wilson were serious, and he could temper with evidence and take undue advantage of the liberty, if released on bail.
Notably, Both Wilson and Dhawale have been facing charges under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in Bhima-Koregaon Elgaar Parishad case.
NIA filed chargesheet against 22 people including both Dhawle and Wilson in August 2021. The agency in the draft charges has accused all the chargesheeted people for threatening Bharat’s sovereignty, integrity and security by conspiring against government or civil authorities/public functionaries, along waging war against Bharat.
The investigative agencies have alleged that a larger conspiracy was hatched by the cadres of the outlawed outfit CPI (Maoist), who were in contact with the organisers of Elgar Parishad held at Shaniwadwada of Pune in December 2017.
Provocative speeches were made at the said Elgar Parishad, prompting enmity between various castes group which led to violence in Bhima-Koregaon village on the next day.
